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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. present — a gift
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. march — the month
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. march — music
  12. present — there
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kid — child
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kid — to tease
  23. present — the time now
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com